JOURNAL ARTICLE

Prevalence, intensity of infestation, and biomarker potential of the nemertean worm, Carcinonemertes carcinophila (Kölliker, 1845), on ovigerous blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae), in Chesapeake Bay, USA.

  • Published In: Journal of Crustacean Biology, 2023, v. 43, n. 4. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Environment Complete 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Schneider, Alexandra K; Pomroy, Alexandria K; Shields, Jeffrey D 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on assessing the prevalence, intensity, and impact of the nemertean worm *Carcinonemertes carcinophila* on egg mortality in ovigerous female Atlantic blue crabs (*Callinectes sapidus*) in Chesapeake Bay during the 2022 spawning season. Using a fishery-independent trawl survey, the study found a high prevalence (66.6%) of mature nemertean infestations, primarily in crab broods and gills, with an average of 53.9 worms per infested crab. A six-day feeding experiment showed that while most worms consumed crab eggs, the estimated population-level egg loss due to nemertean predation was negligible, indicating minimal impact on blue crab reproductive output. Additionally, the presence and location of mature nemerteans on crabs were proposed as biomarkers for determining the spawning history (parity) of female blue crabs.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Crustacean Biology. 2023/12, Vol. 43, Issue 4, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Environmental Sciences
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0278-0372
  • DOI:10.1093/jcbiol/ruad074
  • Accession Number:174525619
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Crustacean Biology is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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